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OPINION

Downed plane adds to Ukraine mayhem

In this day and age, war knows no boundaries. An escalation of military tensions almost anywhere can have repercussions almost everywhere. Russia’s outrageous acts of aggression in Ukraine are a prime example.

They have led the United States and European Union leaders to impose economic sanctions -- with more coming.

They have forced the Obama administration to rethink Russia’s potential role in stopping the civil war in Syria and halting Iran’s nuclear program, places where Russia has considerable influence.

And now they have led to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down last week by what U.S. officials believe were Russian-backed rebels controlling areas of eastern Ukraine.

Nearly 300 people on board were killed in this missile attack. The response from the rebels and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been callous, at best. They stalled on letting international experts get to the crash site and on surrendering flight recorder boxes to Malaysian officials. They have downplayed any suggestion this was a wanton act of terrorism instead of an outrageous mistake that led the perpetrators to confuse a civilian plane for a military plane, as if that distinction negates the loss of so many innocent lives.

Secretary of State John Kerry has said there is mounting evidence Russia assisted separatists in Ukraine in shooting down the plane, and he is pressing European countries to toughen Russian sanctions and talking to Ukraine about greater U.S. aid to its military. U.S. officials have said repeatedly that Russia is providing direct assistance to the rebels, allowing fighters and military equipment across the border and massing thousands of tanks nearby.

President Barack Obama says the U.S. will escalate its sanctions against Russia, targeting some of Russia’s largest banks, energy companies and armsmakers. This is in addition to earlier steps that banned U.S. entry and froze certain assets of high-level Russian officials.

But, even in his condemnation, Obama was careful to say these were “targeted” sanctions designed to minimize “spillover effects” on U.S. businesses.

European nations face a bigger problem in that regard, since many are dependent on Russia for energy supplies. But the downing of this plane could prove to be a tipping point, one where world reaction puts enough pressure on Putin to rein in the rebels and halt the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. That won’t happen unless countries are willing to sacrifice and put an exacting economic toll on Russia to force a pull back of military aggression.